Colony 15.6
Colony 15.6 is the eighth chapter of Colony. Flechette, Parian and Skitter talk. Skitter gives Parian money and a way out of Brockton Bay. Plot Flechette wields a spike of metal and threatens use it if Skitter tries to make a move with bugs. Parian protests that this is an excessive response when Skitter was merely talking, however Flechette claims that the Undersiders talking to Panacea lead to Glory Girl horrific fate. She says that Tattletale is thought to be the culprit, and the PRT currently believe her power to be an ability to detect weak points and that she acquires general information by reverse-engineering the results. Skitter is confused by the talk regarding Glory Girl, but speaks up to tell Flechette that Jack had been the one trying to break Amy. Flechette is unconvinced, since Jack's power is known, while Tattletale has an unknown power and a history of manipulating people. Flechette then tells Parian that the risk of a repeat of the Glory Girl-Panacea situation is enough reason to be very cautious. Skitter denies any intent to corrupt or traumatise Parian, confessing to the villain alliance's intention to take over the city but also explaining that it is more advantageous to recruit Parian than to remove her from play in other ways. Flechette doesn't trust Skitter's explanation, claiming that Skitter is known for being underhanded and deceptive. Skitter is frustrated by this, since Armsmaster's testimony is the reason for this perception and Armsmaster was dubious enough as a person to be nominated for the Slaughterhouse Nine. Flechette claims that Mannequin targeted Armsmaster to mess with him, and that the heroes version of events is more likely to be believed since they are doing the right things. Skitter questions if the heroes are really doing good more often than the villains are, and asks if Flechette knows why Armsmaster was arrested. Flechette claims he was merely being taken care of for his physical and mental injuries, but Skitter points out that the PRT would have tried to leverage his reputation by giving him official command over the relief efforts if this was the case, and when Parian gives away that the therapy the Wards were given post-Leviathan was organized by Weld Skitter uses this as evidence the PRT wouldn't have been taking big measures to help his mental health. She proceeds to reiterate that Armsmaster was arrested and again complains about people trusting his word based on him being a hero. Flechette tells Skitter that the years Armsmaster put in to help the city are justification for trusting him and says she thinks Skitter has a warped perspective. Skitter angrily argues that everyone has a warped perspective, explaining that she became a villain because the heroes let her down. She continues, saying that Amy suffered a warped perspective because nobody talked to her about her father, and she wasn't able to listen when the Undersiders tried to talk to her. Flechette questions how Armsmaster plays into this, and Skitter explains that he knew she was an undercover agent and still left her with no help and even tried to kill her. She elaborates, explaining how he set up villains to die so he had a chance at personal glory fighting the Endbringer one-on-one. Parian is shocked by this violation of the Endbringer truce. Skitter remarks that she may get in trouble for revealing the information, but she is a high priority target anyway. Flechette makes it clear that she intents to arrest Skitter right now and claims the information has all been fabricated by Tattletale. Skitter points out that if Tattletale had made a plan around Flechette being present that Skitter wouldn't have been stabbed by her. Skitter then gives Flechette instructions to find the armband that Armsmaster disabled with an EMP, telling Flechette that a tinker will be able to tell her it was Armsmaster's work rather than framing him. Flechette asks why Skitter has told her all this information, and Skitter explains she wants to show that heroes and villains are just as capable of good and bad acts, and claims that she tries to do good things or at least do things with good intent. She considers recruiting Parian to be well intentioned even if wrong, and points out that she offer more help to Parian's people than they can get otherwise. Parian describes Skitter proposal as 'selling her soul', and explains the dramatic description as a facet of being an artist. Skitter offers to make an 'emotional appeal' by showing Parian the work she has been doing in her territory. Concerned about the possibility Skitter will escape, Flechette sticks the dart she is holding through the armor of the wrist in Skitter's costume, bonding it to the floor. Skitter tries to argue that blindly following orders often leads to wrongs being committed, but Flechette is unmoved until Parian speaks up. Parian asks if Skitter would leave any fighting against Ballistic alone if they freed her, but Skitter explains even if they fought him off he would return with backup. Skitter once against extends the offer to join to Parian, emphasising that the choice is Parian's to make without coercion. Parian against rejects the offer, explaining that she won't become Flechette's enemy and she doesn't want to be known as a villain, even if it was for a short time. Skitter decides to take a different route, and retrieves her phone from her utility compartment using bugs, giving it to Flechette so she can make the call and verify Skitter isn't trying anything. Flechette throws the phone to Parian so she can continue watching Skitter, and Skitter directs Parian to call Sierra. Parian relays instructions to Sierra to collect $200,000 from Skitter's safe, pack it on a truck and meet Parian at an intersection. Skitter explains she wants to give Parian the money as restitution for the role she feels she played in the devastation in Dolltown, and encourages Parian to leave the city so she can set herself up with a better life elsewhere and get treatment for her people. Skitter tells Flechette that she should escort Parian to the meeting point, which Flechette is unimpressed by since it leaves her unable to watch Skitter. As Parian and her leave, Flechette tells Skitter she still thinks the villain has a warped perspective and Skitter again gives her instructions to hunt down the armband. Once the two are out of earshot, Skitter unstraps the armor from her wrist and uses kicks to dislodge the dart and armor piece from the floor. She muses on the fact she now needs to get medical attention and wants to checkup on her territory. Taking flight on Atlas, she decides to not inform Ballistic of the resolution so he has some time to vent his anger. Skitter briefly dwells on her low anxiety levels for the job tonight, concerned about a possible lack of survival instincts, but quickly brushes this off so she can focus on planning. Major Events *Remaining victims of Bonesaw's attentions have the chance to get treatment. Characters Site Navigation Category:Chapters